335
TOP COPY
CONFIDENTIAL
1694 - 2
OCMIAN 1694
CONFIDENTIAL
DD 13010OZ HONG KONG
FM FCOLN TO HONG KONG
121145Z DEC
GRS 297
+KK 2+3/5
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
16 DEC 1985
CONFIDENTIAL
DESK OFFICER
INDEX
REGISTRY
PA
Action Taken
FM FCO
TO DESKBY 130100Z HONG KONG
TELNO 1980
OF 121145Z DECEMBER 85
333
334
YOUR TELNOS 2796 AND 2797:
1.
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES:
LEGCO QUESTION
WE THINK THAT IT WOULD BE PREFERABLE TO AVOID INTRODUCING
A DISTINCTION BETWEEN VOLUNTARY AND INVOLUNTARY REPATRIATION, SINCE THE QUESTION DOES NOT DO SO. WE THEREFORE SUGGEST THE
DRAFT REPLY BE RE-WORDED AS FOLLOWS:
'REPATRIATION, WHERE FEASIBLE, IS REGARDED BY UNHCR AS THE MOST DESIRABLE SOLUTION TO REFUGEE PROBLEMS. HOWEVER THERE
HAVE BEEN VERY FEW VOLUNTEERS FROM AMONG THE VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN CAMPS IN HONG KONG. SINCE 1979, OUT OF THE 120,000 REFUGEES WHO HAVE COME TO HONG KONG, ONLY 22 HAVE ASKED TO RETURN TO VIETNAM. SO FAR ONLY 14 OF THESE 22 HAVE ACTUALLY RETURNED.
AND UNHCR HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR A REPLY FROM THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT SINCE 1983 ON WHETHER THEY ARE PREPARED TO ACCEPT THE
REMAINING EIGHT.
WE
THIS CAUSES US TO DOUBT WHETHER REPATRIATION ON A LARGE
SCALE IS LIKELY TO BE FEASIBLE IN THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE.'
2.
IF SUPPLEMENTARY QUESTIONS ARE ASKED SPECIFICALLY ABOUT INVOLUNTARY REPATRIATION, WE AGREE THAT YOU SHOULD REPLY ON THE LINES OF PARA 3 OF YOUR TELNO 2797, BUT WITH THE LAST TWO
SENTENCES REPLACED BY THE FOLLOWING:
'TO DATE THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT, WITH WHOM HMG MAINTAIN CONTACT, HAVE CONSIDERED REPATRIATION ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS, BUT HAVE GIVEN NO INDICATION THAT THEY WOULD BE PREPARED
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